Shloka 44

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

'जो विश्वासपात्र नहीं है, उसपर कभी विश्वास न करे, परंतु जो विश्वासपात्र है, उसपर भी अधिक विश्वास न करे; क्योंकि अधिक विश्वाससे भय उत्पन्न होता है अतः बिना जाँचे बूझे किसीपर भी विश्वास न करे ।।

Transliteration

aviśvāsapātre na kadācit viśvaset, viśvāsapātre 'pi cāti-viśvāsaṁ na kuryāt; ati-viśvāsād bhayaṁ jāyate, tasmād ajñātvā na kasyacid viśvāsaṁ kuryāt. viśvāsayitvā tu paraṁ tattvabhūtena hetunā, athāsya praharet kāle kiñcid vicalite pade.

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଅବିଶ୍ୱସନୀୟକୁ କେବେ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ; ଏବଂ ବିଶ୍ୱସନୀୟକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅତିରିକ୍ତ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ। ଅତି-ବିଶ୍ୱାସରୁ ଭୟ ଓ ବିପଦ ଜନ୍ମେ; ତେଣୁ ପରୀକ୍ଷା ନ କରି କାହାକୁ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ। ପୁଣି ସତ୍ୟସଦୃଶ କୌଣସି ଯୁକ୍ତି ଦେଖାଇ ପ୍ରଥମେ ତାହାର ଭିତରେ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ ଜଗାଇ, ସମୟ ଆସିଲେ—ତାହାର ପଦକ୍ଷେପ ଅଳ୍ପ ମାତ୍ରେ ଡଗମଗାଇଲେ—ସେତେବେଳେ ପ୍ରହାର କର।

Word by Word

• विश्वासयित्वा: having made (someone) trust / having trusted
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश्वासय् (caus. of √श्वस्/√वस् in sense 'to trust')
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी-प्रयोग (causative sense), indeclinable

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• परम्: the other (person)
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• तत्त्वभूतेन: by a real/essential (i.e., genuine) one
• तत्त्वभूतेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्त्वभूत
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, singular

• हेतुना: by/with a reason, cause, pretext
• हेतुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• अथ: then, thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अस्य: of him / against him (contextually: on him)
• अस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (pronoun base: अस्मद्/इदम् → अस्य)
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• प्रहरेत्: should strike/attack
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√हृ (to strike) / √हन् (in sense 'to smite')
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), 3rd, singular, परस्मैपद

• काले: at the time, at the right moment
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• किञ्चित्: a little, somewhat
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित्

• विचलिते: when (it is) shaken/slipped
• विचलिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-चलित
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), neuter, locative, singular

• पदे: in a step/position/footing
• पदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Exercise discernment in trust: do not trust the untrustworthy, and do not become careless even with the trustworthy. Over-trust creates vulnerability; therefore, trust should follow examination and understanding.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma and polity in the Shanti Parva, he warns about the risks of misplaced or excessive trust and describes a common tactic of adversaries: first gaining confidence with plausible reasons and then exploiting a moment of weakness.